At a huge shed in Punjab’s only ‘gau hospital,’ a cow writhes in pain; fresh blood seeps through bandages that have been used to cover stab wounds in its stomach and legs. Just when the animal looks like it may lose consciousness, a group of workers haul it into a corner, where a mobile intravenous drip is rushed in and a needle is inserted into its foot.

Faced with increasing numbers of stray cattle and tighter regulation regarding the sale of their ageing livestock, farmers in Punjab are resorting to cruel methods to get rid of them, says Kulwinder Singh, (38), who runs the Baba Gau Hira Hospital, which treats injured cows, at Kaunke Kalan village in Ludhiana district. “Stray cows are being attacked with acid and swords and are being burnt with matchsticks. Some even have pepper applied in their eyes and udders. Each month we rescue at least 60-70 such cows,” he says.

Even those left on the roads and streets have it no better, says Kulwinder. “We find all sorts of human waste, iron objects, plastic and garbage in the stomachs of dead stray cows. It is what the abandoned animal has been feeding on for months,” he adds. As per the state-run Punjab Gau Sewa Commission, over one lakh stray cattle roam Punjab’s streets, most of which are the exotic cross-bred Holstein Friesian (HF) cows, generally abandoned by farmers after they turn infertile or stop providing milk.

Kulwinder’s facility, some 40 km from Ludhiana, houses some 115 wounded or diseased cattle, 90 per cent of which are HF cows. While the veterinary hospital at the Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU) treats all sorts of animals and there are privately-run cow shelters, the Baba Gau hospital is the only one that exclusively treats injured cows.

Kulwinder began work in 2011, initially rescuing stray cattle before opening the ‘cow hospital’ on half an acre of land handed over by a village resident. He runs the facility through donations and monetary help from his brother in the US. “Some farmers give us fodder and some veterinarians don’t take fees. We still spend at least Rs 3 lakh a month, which includes the salaries of around 14 employees and most importantly medicines and fuel for our ambulance,” he says.

The ambulance, fitted with a hydraulic ramp, was bought last year at a cost of Rs 6.5 lakh. “We bought it in instalments and now it is convenient to rescue cows from nearby districts too,” says Kulwinder, dressed in a orange kurta and turban.

The hospital has a 24×7 helpline number (82733-82733), which receives calls regarding injured animals from Jalandhar, Barnala, Amritsar and, Pathankot. Once a call comes in, it sends an ambulance and its workers to pick up the injured animal. Cows that are successfully treated are shifted to the Faridkot gaushala with which the centre has a tie up.

The 38-year-old says his love for cows is not due to religious conviction. “I opened this cow hospital because I cannot see them in pain. It is inhumane to leave them dying on the roads after using them for milk and other benefits,” he says. He also says he has not received any help from either the state or central governments. “My file for free power supply for the hospital is pending with the administration for months. Not a single politician from the BJP or Congress or any other party has offered us any help. We don’t need it but then how are you a gau rakshak if you can’t help those actually working for cows?” asks Kulwinder.

While he highlights the cruelty being shown to stray cattle, Kulwinder believes it is the handiwork of some errant farmers. “We are not in favor of slaughtering any animal but genuine traders should not be harassed. Farmers need to be educated about the benefits of indigenous varieties and the correct ways to manage the HF breed,” he says. Daljit Singh Gill, president, Punjab Dairy Farmers Association (PDFA), the largest association of dairy farmers in the state, admits there is a problem but adds that it is only “bound to increase”. “Small farmers are going through hell as their crops are being damaged by stray animals. Now with Yogi Adiyanath becoming the CM of Uttar Pradesh, cattle trade has become more difficult. How can farmers be blamed for attacking animals destroying their crop?” Gill asks.

Dr A S Nanda, Vice-Chancellor, GADVASU, says,”We in India talk about cow welfare but abandon them on the roads. In England, for instance, cow slaughtering is not banned but their cattle welfare index is way higher than us.”

Punjab Gau Sewa commission chief Kimti Bhagat says the government is looking at ways to reduce stray cattle numbers. “We are working on viable methods like importing of semen from the US to produce only female cattle, which farmers don’t abandon,” he says.

It’s very distressing that from quite some time editorials/articles have been appearing in the so called “progressive” Indian print media that are creating impediments in the work of animals rights activists. To counter the hate propaganda against animals and vegetarians (a.k.a. people with a certain degree of compassion who choose to spare the lives of their fellow cohabitants on Mother Earth), I am elucidating the reasons on why animal killings are unjustified and these murders have long term harmful impacts on the human health and environment. Also, I request the Indian media to refrain from publishing the works of these pseudo-intellectuals who are trying to reverse the good work done by animal rights activists and let noble sense prevail in the land. Also I request the print media to give atleast as much space for op-eds in the newspapers to animal rights activists as much as you give this to animal abusers and meat promoters!

The key to ending the suffering of billions of animals each year is to educate as many people as possible and not by publishing opinions in mainstream newspapers that encourage this loathful practise of animal murder. All animals are conscious sentient living beings and they too feel pain and suffering just like humans. The next frontier for human evolution is going to be the adoption of a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Information of this article has been collected from various vegan and vegetarian information sources primarily the site theveganlily.wordpress.com, the Vedas and other sites related to these texts. I am grateful to all of them for releasing this information in the public domain. All of this information has become my weapon to eliminate all false arguments which are spread for justification of animal slaughter in general and cow slaughter in particular.

One reason for collecting the information for this write-up from the Vedas is that many pseudo-intellectuals with their agenda of supporting animal slaughter (perhaps to eliminate their own guilt of murdering animals) are justifying their actions by quoting the ancient Vedas. There is nothing in the Vedas that supports animal slaughter, instead they promote compassion and sustainable living. These evil mongers are misguiding the general public by quoting texts associated with a particular religion. Not only is this purely unethical, it must be made punishable! They have coined their own biased misinterpretations of the Vedas. Please be alert and cautious from these full of hate, evil, pseudo-intellectual opinion writers and misinterpreters. The true price of every hamburger, chicken nugget, and pork sausage sold isn’t measured in dollars—it’s measured in anguish and death.

Mahatma Gandhi once said” Cow is the source of progress and prosperity. In many ways it is superior to one’s mother”.

Why we shouldn’t kill cows

Cows are gentle, loving animals who deserve to be treated with more respect as beings who we share this earth with. If given the chance to connect or bond with one of these animals, you may change your view on slaughtering them by the millions each year for our own pleasure. Hopefully, the photos attached in this write-up will bring to you one step closer to making the connection.

By adopting a vegan or vegetarian diet, you can reduce your risk of osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, cancer etc. You can also cure allergies and acne as well as improving sleep and boosting energy levels.
Your diet will be more friendly to the environment. You’ll be reducing your water usage as well as helping to preserve habitats and species across the world.
People are becoming more aware about how animal agriculture is unsustainable and often cruel, but it’s been proven that animal products are harmful to human health and the environment. If we don’t begin to make changes in our diets soon, we will be suffering serious consequences in just a few decades (though some of them have started to rear their head as of now).

Importance of the Cow in Hinduism and why it is extolled as a “mother” in the Vedas

The cow is considered as one of the most sacred animals in India. Millions of Hindus revere and worship it. The cow has myriad qualities. The characteristic of the cow of providing Life supporting Milk has elevated its status to the level of a Mother Goddess. Therefore, the people respect it like a Maternal Figure.

The cow was elevated to divinity in the Rig Veda. In Book VI, Hymn XXVIII attributed to Rishi Bhardwaja extols the virtue of the cow. In Atharva Veda (Book X, Hymn X), the cow is formally designated as Vishnu, and ‘all that the Sun surveys’. Throughout the Vedic scriptures there are verses which emphasize that the cow must be protected and cared for. It is considered a sin to kill a cow and eat its meat. Even today in India, there are many states in which the slaughter of cows is illegal. That is why you can find cows roaming freely all over India, even along the busy streets of Delhi and Mumbai.

The Cow as a Provider

The holy cow is perhaps the most harmless animal in the entire world. The best characteristic of a cow is that it gives so much yet demands nothing in return. As we know, there are innumerable dairy products made out of milk e.g. Butter, Ghee, Curd, sweets and what not! The Hindu rituals are never complete without Ghee and curd is considered as a lucky charm by many. Whereby, they find it essential to have it before doing something important. The cow dung is used in the making of Fertilizers that stimulate the farming process. It is also saved, to be used as fuel and produce heat and electricity. For many years, the bull was extremely important for our lives. The bull used in agriculture to till the land to produce food grains. It is sad that floored by the growing technology we have forgotten the significance of the cow in our Life.

Religious Significance of the Cow

The holy cow also owes its significance to Lord Krishna, the famous deity of the Hindus. His childhood was spent in Gokul near Mathura. He was brought up in the family of a milkman, ‘Nand Baba’. Lord Krishna grew up as a cow herder in the midst of cows and ‘gopis’ (Milkmaids). He is also addressed as Govinda and ‘Gopala’ which means ‘protector and friend of cows’. Even the bull has immense value in the Hindu Mythology. If cow is the mother, then the Bull is the father! The Nandi bull, it is believed was the vehicle of Lord Shiv and the gatekeeper of Shiv and Parvati. The North Indian Temples are filled with the sculptures and images of Nandi bull. On the other hand, the ‘Kamadhenu’ cow also has tremendous religious significance. She was miraculous and gave her devotees whatever they desired. She is considered to be the mother of all cows.

Ayurvedic Significance of the Cow

Ayurveda understands the importance of a cow. It is a great exponent of the ‘sattvic’ qualities of milk and the dairy products. Yogurt, Butter Milk, Organic Milk, ghee and other milk products are not only nutritious but provide calcium and Protein to the Tissues. Ghee and cow dung used in ‘Yagna’ fire ceremonies complete the ritual but at the same time, it helps to purify the air. Ayurveda also believes that some diseases cannot be healed by medicines alone and they propagate ‘Panchamrit’, a drink that is supposed to be blessed to heal. It is ‘nectar of gods’ made of 5 items – yogurt, ghee, honey, sugar and milk. It is distributed at the end of religious ceremonies. It is said that the ‘Panchamrit’ fills a person with divine energy and heals him from within.

Conserve the Cow

The cow plays such an important role in our lives yet we fail to acknowledge its significance. It is said our ‘Bapu’ Mahatma Gandhi became a vegan because the cows were being ill treated. It is sad that since the cows are harmless, we have stopped caring about them. It is time, we came out of our cocoons and started thinking about our real ‘care takers’. It is imperative to save and maintain them or the time is not far when they will be extinct. We cannot undermine their importance. Just imagine the circumstances if our children are deprived of the nutrition provided by the cow and the condition of our crops in the absence of cow dung! It is time for action!

Our West-influenced pseudo-intellectuals sneer at the mention of the cow. The same intellectuals first sneered at yoga. Now it is a fashion to do pranayama at cocktail parties The arguments in the West for cow slaughter are no more uncontested. They also sneered at our sanyasis as `godmen’. Now they flock to ashrams with their white friends ever since the Beatles. Who knows, they may soon have a cow in their backyards.

Let us come forward and volunteer for cow service. Cow service is also considered to be a sanctifying act! Let us help with our body and soul. We can serve by working in the cow shed (Gau-shala) or giving land for cow ranging and cow rehabilitation. Whatever way we feel, we should save the cow, for our children, for humanity. The cow is the symbol of the divine gift of earth. Come, let’s save it!

What the law says

Article 48 of the Indian Constitution says: ‘The State shall endeavour to organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines and shall, in particular, take steps for preserving and improving the breeds, and prohibiting the slaughter of cows and calves and other milch and draught cattle’. During the First War of Independence in 1857, when Bahadur Shah ‘Zafar’ was installed as emperor by the Hindus in Delhi for a brief period, his Hindu prime minister, on the emperor’s proclamation, made cow killing a capital offence. In Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s kingdom, the only crime that invited capital punishment was cow slaughter.

When the Constitution itself mentions about prohibition of slaughter of cows, then why is this ruckus being created by the very people who used to become constitutional ayatollahs at every other issue in the Indian polity and rake up a copy of the Indian constitution? Why this hypocrisy?

What the texts associated with Lord Krishna say

Lord Krishna, one of the most well known of the Hindu deities is often depicted playing his flute amongst cows and dancing Gopis (milkmaids). He grew up as a cow herder. Krishna also goes by the names Govinda and Gopala, which literally mean “friend and protector of cows.” It is considered highly auspicious for a true devotee to feed a cow, even before eating breakfast oneself.

Even after knowing Krishna’s life, we overlook the importance Krishna gave to the cows. There were two instances where Krishna has tried to convince us of how one can win Krishna by serving a cow.

Mata Yashoda took Krishna to cow and prayed cow for Krishna’s well-being, when she saw Krishna being attacked by the demon Putana. Krishna’s parents knew that protecting cow alone can bring health, wealth and prosperity. Mata Yashoda told us that cow protects us from ill-will and negative energies.

That was the first instance where we were guided by Krishna about protection of cows. The second incidence was when the King of heaven: Indra wanted to kill the people of Vrindavan, when he came t0 know that they have stopped worshipping him. It is regarded as the First sinful act of person blessed with transcendental qualities-“Dev aparadh”.

The merciful Krishna instead of giving any curse or personal punishment to King Indra took the effort of lifting the Goverdhan for seven consecutive days. Despite the fact that Krishna and his men were troubled, Krishna forgives Indra as he donated Surbhi cow to Krishna. This shows us How Krishna was in the awe of cows. Krishna always taught about importance of cows through his actions. His love for cows is also seen from his two names “Gopala- the protector of the cows and Govinda- “one who brings satisfaction to the cows”

In the 11th (11.11.43) Canto of Shrimat Bhagwatam Krishna told his beloved cousin Udhava that he can be worshiped by offering cow grass and other suitable grains. Worshiping cow is equal to worshiping Krishna.

The product manufactured from cow milk helps us purify our body and purify our thoughts which in-turn helps us to perform right actions.

By feeding grains and by offering puja to the cows, one can receive extraordinary spiritual benefits. Serving and protecting cow pleases God and Demi-gods present in the cow and it takes us closer to the Supreme personality of God.

According to Skanda Purana, “One can demolish all his sinful acts by simply offering respect to the cows”. If we maintain and serve a cow in nice manner then we can not only catch Krishna’s attention and but we can please Krishna as well.

Krishna is kind with those who save cows and protect them. He is delighted by any effort done to serve a cow and he never even forgets us if we benefit cow.

As an animal cow is very lovable, simple and gentle, what we can do to serve her is we can buy grain for her, feed her every time we get an opportunity and we can donate the cow to an institution where they are treated with utmost care.

Mahatma Gandhi once said” Cow is the source of progress and prosperity. In many ways it is superior to one’s mother”.

Impact on the environment

“Raising animals for meat as food generates more greenhouse gases than all the cars and trucks in the world combined”. Ten of billions of animals farmed for food release gases such as methane, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide through their massive amounts of manure. “The released methane”, the report says, “has 23 times the global warming potential of CO2″. For these animals to graze, virgin forests are cleared. The livestock industry also needs vast stretches of land to raise mono-crops to feed the animals. The CO2 that the trees and plants store escapes into the air when they are destroyed.

Growing fodder implies heavy use of synthetic fertilizers produced with fossil fuels.

While this process emits a huge amount of CO2, the fertilizer itself releases nitrous oxide (3) — a greenhouse gas that is 296 times more potent than CO2. Alarming though these facts are, all that people have to do is to avoid red meat. There will be no need to breed millions of animals for daily slaughter. The animal population will consequently decline.

A single individual by not consuming meat prevents the equivalent of 1.5 tonnes of CO2 emissions in a year. This is more than the one tonne of CO 2 prevented by switching from a large sedan to a small car. So there are a number of reasons to be a vegetarian. People who eat meat think a pure vegetarian diet is optional. But now they have no choice if they are alive to what is happening to this life-bearing planet. There is no justification for eating meat, given the devastating consequences for the planet. A new fervour for a cow renaissance is necessary. It is constitutional (for India) and we should defend it with all our might.

Some videos (that will tear your soul):

Animals are sentient and do know they are going to die. This is one of the most heart breaking videos. The video shows a bullock on death-row hearing a fellow bullock die before he too is killed . It doesn’t show blood or the bullocks’ deathblows but does show how this bullock reacts to what we do to him. He is terrified.
We have no valid reason to do this to other animals who feel and care about what happens to themselves. You can see how this one animal just doesn’t want to go in there because he knows death awaits him. How heartbreaking:-

With Maharashtra’s long-pending Bill widening its ban on cow slaughter getting Presidential assent on Monday, The Hindu took a look at the status of the legislation across the country.

Ritwika Sharma and Alok Prasanna Kumar, fellows at the Delhi-based Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, compiled all State-level legislation and amendments on the slaughter of cows and other types of cattle for The Hindu .

The data show that Indian States can be classified into five categories — north-eastern States with no restrictions on cattle slaughter; Kerala with no law but a caveat; Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Assam which allow the slaughter of cattle with a certificate; Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Goa and Odisha which ban cow slaughter, but allow the slaughter of other cattle with a certificate; and the rest of India which bans the slaughter of all cattle.

Beef is less popular than other meats, The Hindu’s analysis of data from the 2011-12 National Sample Survey shows, with just four per cent of rural Indians and five per cent of urban Indians saying that they consumed beef within the last week. However, consumption varies widely by State; the average person from Nagaland eats half a kilo of beef in a month, while the average person from Punjab, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh does not eat any.

UPSC-2013 AIR-1 Gaurav Agrawal(IAS): Khelo India

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